MONUMENTS OF THE NORTH-WEST. 135 



well as in Wisconsin, we have the assurance of witnesses whose statements are 

 entitled to full credit. Whether they are identical with those noticed above is 

 unknown ; their character remains to be ascertained.* The few animal effigies 

 found in Ohio, and of which an account has already been given, seem to have few 

 features in common Avith those of the North-west, and probably, in their purposes, 

 admit of less doubt. We cannot venture to assign a similar origin to the latter, — 

 certainly not, until we are in possession of more facts concerning them, whereon 

 to base our conclusions. 



The absence of enclosures, or works of defence, (such as are found in great 

 nuftibers in the Ohio valley,) in connection with these animal effigies, has been 

 noticed in a preceding page. It appears that the effigies themselves, accom- 

 panied by short, low lines of embankment, are sometimes so arranged as nearly to 

 enclose certain areas ; whether the arrangement resulted from design or accident 

 is not however very apparent. 



Such is the extent of our knowledge respecting the monuments of Wisconsin. 

 Carver mentions earthworks in the vicinity of Lake Pepin; and it is reasonable 

 to conclude that they are scattered, in greater or less profusion, over the inter- 

 vening territory. Of this, however, we are still uninformed. It would be an 

 interesting point to determine the range of the mound effigies, and whether they 

 merge gradually into the works of a lower latitude, or whether they occupy an 

 exclusive field, and possess characteristics sufficiently striking to warrant us in 

 ascribing them to a different race or era. Their purposes, in our present state 

 of information concerning them, do not seem to be satisfactorily settled : it is still 

 a matter of doubt whether they are sepulchral in their origin, connected with the 

 superstitions of their builders, or erected as the monuments and memorials of 

 migrations and events unrecorded by the pen of histor}-. Certain it is that they are 

 now invaded by a busy population, careless alike of their origin and of their future 

 fate, before whose encroachments they are rapidly disappearing. Already the 

 plough has broken in upon the outlines and symmetry of hundreds, and unless the 

 present favorable moment is seized upon to secure their accurate admeasurement 

 and delineation, these embossed illustrations of our ancient history will be oblite- 

 rated forever. It is impossible to estimate their value in the elucidation of the 

 grand ethnological problems involved in the past history of our country, until their 

 extent and dependencies as well as their general character are better understood. 



In the State of Missouri, and especially in the country lying between the 

 Missouri and Arkansas rivers, various singular remains are represented to exist, 

 which differ materially from those that have been noticed in the preceding pages. 



■" No uccarate account of llieiii has 3-01 been published ; and it is, consequently-, uncertain whether any 

 bear the form of animals. They are rather vaguely described as low elevations of considerable extent 

 and well defined outline, somewhat resembling garden beds. Mr. Schoolcraft speaks of the.se remains as 

 existing in considerable numbers on the Elkhart, St. Joseph's, Kalamazoo, and Grand rivers. According 

 to the same authority, no large tumuli or Teoco/// occur in connection with thorn. Similar monuments, it 

 will be observed, are fo<ind in the State of Missouri. 



